Shutter Speed

Problem Statement: Explore time and memory in your photographs by using a fast shutter speed to freeze movement and a slow shutter speed to blur movement.

TECHNICALLY, shutter speed controls how long the shutter is open - how much LIGHT gets in (measured in fractions of a second)
CREATIVELY, shutter speed allows you to capture a sense of MOVEMENT or MOTION in your photos

Sketchbook Assignment

FIRST, draw an illustration of your shutter speed dial and label the following creative settings:
1/4 good for blurring slow-moving people or water
1/25 blurring fast moving bikes or cars
1/60 must use a tripod if shutter is this or lower
1/250 freezing slow moving animals or people walking
1/1000 freezing fast moving trains or birds in flight
B allows you to manually keep the shutter open while your finger is depressing the shutter release
NEXT, find 2 magazine images to include in your sketchbook, one for each of the following:
-frozen action (~1000)
-blurred action (~30)
-panning (~30) (opt.)
Analyze the photos by writing down the following for each:
1. What do you think the shutter speed settings are? (look at the chart above)
2. What principle of composition does the photo illustrate?
3. Write a sentence stating how the photographer's choice shutter speed contributes to the overall success of the photo.

EXAMPLES

1. 1/1000 of a second
2. Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines
3. The fast shutter speed freezes the trail of water to create a sense of movement diagonally across the photo as well as allowing the viewer to see the detail one couldn't normally see in the water drops.

1. 1/30 of a second
2. Frame within a Frame
3. A slow
shutter speed with a tripod captures the movement of the person passing by while keeping the architectural elements in detail.